Upcoming ESDS events

Family Resources Survey user meeting
Friday 22 June 2012
Royal Statistical Society, London

This meeting will provide a forum for the exchange of information and views between users and producers of the Family Resources Survey.  It is aimed primarily at users and potential users of survey microdata.

The meeting is free to attend and lunch is provided.  To view the programme and book a place please go to http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/esds/events/2012-06-22/

———————————————————————————

An Introduction to the International Passenger Survey
Friday 29 June 2012
Basement Computer Lab, Humanities Bridgeford Street Building, University of Manchester

A one-day workshop to introduce the International Passenger Survey to those with no or little knowledge of the IPS.

The workshop is free to attend and lunch will be provided.  To view the programme and book a place please go to http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/esds/events/2012-06-29/

———————————————————————————

Health surveys user meeting
Tuesday 10 July 2012
Royal Statistical Society, London

This meeting will provide a forum for the exchange of information and views between users and producers of the UK health surveys.  It is aimed primarily at users and potential users of survey microdata.  The programme contains a mixture of papers from data producers and researchers and a poster session at lunchtime.

The meeting is free to attend and lunch is provided.  To view the programme and book a place please go to http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/esds/events/2012-07-10/

———————————————————————————

3-Day Multilevel Modelling Course: Modelling the impact of households and geographies in health research

Multilevel models and MCMC methods using the new STAT-JR package

A workshop given by:

Bill Browne, Centre for Multilevel Modelling, University of Bristol
Ian Plewis, Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research, University of Manchester
Mark Tranmer, Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research, University of Manchester

Wednesday 11 – Friday 13 July 2012, Humanities Bridgeford Street Building, University of Manchester

The focus of this three day workshop is on the use of new statistical software, STAT-JR, for fitting complex statistical models.  We will focus on multilevel modelling where the multilevel structure is determined by the sample design, in particular on the way the methods can be applied to the Health Survey for England.  This structure will then be used to examine the extent to which variables such as height, weight and BMI are clustered by household and area and whether any of this variability can be accounted for by background variables such as social class and educational qualifications.

The first day will provide a general introduction to the dataset and STAT-JR.  On the second day we will give sessions on Bayesian statistics and MCMC methods that the package uses and then describe its application to continuous multilevel models.  On the third day we will finish by describing its use on binary response models and give a brief demonstration of an alternative E-book interface to the software.  The workshop will be a mixture of lectures and practical sessions using the software on the datasets provided.

What is STAT-JR?
For the beginner, STAT-JR allows access to many different statistical software packages (such as MLwiN, winBUGS and R) through a simple point and click interface.

For the advanced user, STAT-JR allows construction of their own functionality through the writing of or customising of the templates that the system is built upon.

For the software developer, STAT-JR allows incorporation of their packages within the system and easy comparison of their software with other packages that exist.

STAT-JR offers a web based test interface (‘webtest’) and an ‘ebook’ interface that can be used to create and view interactive documents with dynamic execution of the underlying content.

This workshop is jointly organised by ESDS Government and e-Stat, a quantitative node for the ESRC Digital Social Research programme which brings together academics working in statistics and computer science.

Prerequisites:
A working knowledge of multiple regression and the basics of sample design. This course will be ideal for those with limited knowledge of multilevel and MCMC methods who want to explore these in more detail or those with some knowledge of multilevel models who want to learn STAT-JR.

Cost:
the workshop fee is £95.  Bookings will not be confirmed until payment is received.

To view the programme and book a place please go to http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/esds/events/2012-07-11/